Display case



Patented eb. 3, 1925.

STTES GEORGE ALEXANDER SMITH, F HALIFAX, NOVA $COTIA, CANADA.

DISPLAY CASE.

Application filed March 4, 1924. Serial No. 696,846.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE A. SMITH, a citizen of the Dominion of Canada, and a resident of Halifax, Province of Nova Scotia, Dominion of Canada, have invented a new and Improved Display Case, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to improvements in display cases, and more particularly .to a display case for umbrellas, parasols and the like, an object of the invention being to provide a case in which the umbrellas or, at least, the handle portions thereof are attractively displayed and can be conveniently removed for closer inspection.

A further object is to provide a case in which a relatively large number of umbrellas and the like can be shown and which will occupy but relatively small space, which will be extremely attractive in appearance, and which will greatly facilitate the business of selling articles of this character.

With these and other objects in view, the

invention consists in certain novel features of construction and combinations and arrangements of parts which will be more fully hereinafter described and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings- Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved display case showing the door and the supporting shelf in open position;

Figure 2 is an enlarged view in vertical section through the base portion of the case;

Figure 3 is a detail view in section on the line 3-3 of Figure 2.

My improved display case may, of course, be of any size and shape and of any desired ornamentation but I have illustrated as a preferred form a case of general rectangular shape, comprising a lower base portion 1 and an upper transparent portion 2, although the device is constructed as a complete unit. The upper transparent portion 2 is preferably formed of a series of transparent panels or sides with a transparent door 3 at the front thereof connected by hinges so that the door can be readily swung from open to closed position and vice versa.

The base 1, which is preferably of rectangular shape, is made up of solid opaque panels and is formed with a top 5 having a relative- 1y large circular opening 6 therein. A tubu' 1211' post 7 is secured to the bottom 8 of base 1, centrally of the base, and provides a central bearing 9 for a vertical shaft 10. Around this shaft 10 a. sleeve 11 is located, and on the sleeve a plurality of disks 12, 13 and 14 are secured. These disks are superimposed one abovethc other and spaced a desired distance apart, and a cap 15 is fixed to the upper disk 12 and is screwed onto the threaded upper end 16 of shaft 10 so that the sleeve 11 of the disks 12, 13 and 1 1 and the shaft turn together.

Anti-friction bearings 17 are disposed between the disk 14 and the upper end of post 7 so as to sustain by a thrust bearing the weight of the rotary assemblage consisting of the shaft, sleeve and disks, as

above explained. The upper disks 12 and 13 are formed with a relatively large number of alined openings 18 and the lower disk 14 is of annularly stepped formation and is provided in its series of steps with recesses 19 in line with the centers of the openings 18 of the disks 12 and 13. In these openings 18' umbrellas, parasols, canes and other similar articles 20 may be supported.

Assuming the articles to be umbrellas, they are positioned through the openings 18 of the disks 12 and 13 with their lower ends or ferrules positioned in the recesses 19 so that they are securely held in upright position. By reason of the stepped formation of the lower disk 14, the umbrellas are supported in a plurality of inclined radial series, the innermost umbrellas being projected at the highest point and the others in a relatively decreasing scale so that all of the handles of all of the umbrellas are displayed and any umbrella can be conveniently reached and removed for closer in spection. It is obvious that the rotary assemblage above described which supports the umbrellas can be conveniently turned so as to bring any umbrella to the open front of the case and hence the salesman can easily remove the same, and, furthermore, the purchasers can have a close inspection of all the umbrellas in the case.

To support umbrellas which have been removed and before they are returned to the rotary assemblege, I provide a shelf 21 which is connected at its lower edge by hinges 22 with the front of base 1. This shelf 21 has an arm 23 fixed thereto' and projecting inside of base 1.- The arm 23 is movable between ablock 24 fixed to the wall of base 1 and a friction strip 25. This friction strip is connected at one end by a bolt 26 to the block21 and at its other end receives a relatively long bolt 27 secured to the block 24-. This bolt 27 extends through an opening 28 instrip25, and a coil'spring 29 is located around the bolt 27 between the nut 30 on the inner end of the bolt and the strip 25, so that it exerts pressure against' the strip 25 and pulls the latter to frictionally bind the arm-23. The friction of the strip 25 on the arm 23 is sufficient to hold the shelf 21 in its vertical or closed position, and when the shelf is moved to open position the arm 23 engages a spacer 31 on bolt 26 to limit such opening movement and support the shelf in this position, as indicated by dotted lines in Figure 2.

The operation is as follows:

The purchaser or passerby is attracted by the ornamental display of the articles in the ease and, if apurchase is desired, the salesman can open the door 3 and move the'shelf 21 to its open position. He can thenturn the rotary assen'iblage carrying the un'il'n'ellas so as'to bring any to the front and can easily remove an umbrella and open it for full inspection. If this umbrella is not desired, he can after folding the same lay it upon the shelf2l until a sale has been made and then these umbrellas on the shelf 21 can be rolled and returned to the case. It will thus be noted that the case is not only an attractive display device and an economizer of space but it expedites the sale of the articles.

Various slight changes and alterations might be made in the general form of the parts described without departing from my invention, and, hence,l do not limit myself to the precise details set forth but consider myself at liberty to make such slight changesand alterations as fairly fall Within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A. display case, comprising a base having an opening in its top, a post secured centrally in the bottom of the base, a rotary support, and a shaft connected to the support and mounted to turn in the post, said rotary support consisting of a plurality of superimposed disks having registering openings and the lower disk having annularly stepped formation with notches in the steps thereof in line with the openings of the disks and the upper of said disks located above and covering the opening in the top of the base.

2. A device of the character described, con'iprising a base, a shelflhin'gedly, connected at its lower edge to a wall ofthe base, an arm secured to the shelf, and projecting into the base, a block fixed to the inner wall of the base, and a Spring-pressed strip spacedfrom the block and frictionally binding the arm between the strip and the block.

GEORGE ALEXANDER SMITH. 

